Tag: philippa gregory

The White Queen by Philippa GregorySeries: Cousins’ War #1Published: 2009Genre: Historical FictionFormat: PaperbackPages: 438Dates Read: February 28 – March 16, 2019Grade: C-Synopsis: Elizabeth Woodville, of the House of Lancaster, is widowed when her husband is killed in battle. Aided and abetted by the raw ambition and witchcraft skills of her mother Jacquetta, Elizabeth seduces and marries, in secret, reigning king Edward IV, of the family of the white rose, the House of York. As long as there are other claimants to Edward’s throne, the profound rivalries between the two families will never be laid to rest. Violent conflict, shocking betrayal and murder dominate Elizabeth’s life as Queen of England, passionate wife of Edward and devoted mother of their children. (from the author’s website)

Title: The White PrincessAuthor:Philippa GregoryYear: 2013Pages: 518Dates Read: April 10-17, 2017Format: PaperbackGenres: HF, RRating: ★★Summary: Elizabeth of York is forced to marry the new Tudor king, Henry VII, after he kills her uncle, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses (known as the Cousins’ War before Sir Walter Scott coined the more well-known term). The two must work together in order to keep their tumultuous country in order, with bitter, defeated Yorks threatening the kingdom.

Favorite Quotes:

“The red rose and the white, a rose without a thorn” (26).

“There is nothing in the world more powerful than a woman who knows what she wants and walks a straight road towards it…You have to make up your mind what you want, and have the courage to set your heart on it…Walk through your sorrow, my daughter, it hardly matters as long as you walk to where you want to be” (79-80).

“In the darkness of the night his conscience speaks louder than his mother’s ambitions” (92).